The interface between agroecology and dietary diversity: evidence from rural Ethiopia

Abstract

ABSTRACT Food and nutrition insecurity remains one of the fundamental challenges among smallholder farmers in Ethiopia. To address these challenges, various policies and strategies have been designed and implemented in the country. This study is aimed at assessing and analyzing the relationship between dietary diversity and agroecology using the Tool for Agroecological Performance Evaluation (TAPE) methodology in selected regional states in Ethiopia. The study employed a combination of quantitative and qualitative methodologies. A total of 619 sample farm households were randomly drawn. The findings revealed that a large majority of farms assessed were found to be non-agroecological. In terms of diet diversity, the consumption of important food groups such as meat, eggs, fruits, and pulses has been very low. This result suggests that the vast majority of households suffer from micronutrient deficiency due to low level of dietary diversity. The study also revealed that households with more advanced agroecological farms had better dietary diversity. This study concludes that agroecological-based farming can improve production and contribute to better dietary diversity. As we move from non-agroecological to agroecological farms, dietary diversity score increases, suggesting the importance of fostering agroecological transition through awareness creation (agroecology education) and sensitization.